Mower dealer said do not wash mower

[rogerfisher]

I had a brain malfunction. Your advice is right on. I didn't even consider that. Thanks!

Roger

[Harry K]

What is wrong with just mowing over them? I haven't raked leaves in over 30 years and I have a couple of maples along with many other trees.

Harry K

[Harry K]

If/when you get the official word, please post the results.

Harry K

[Stormin Mormon]

So, wash the mower. Just take some WD or other spray oil, and relube the berrings a couple times a year. Problem solved.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Depends on how many there are, whether they're really wet, and whether I have time to plan to mow them only on days when they're NOT wet. I also use about half of them for composting, and for digging into the garden bed soil.

[Jim Redelfs]

Hmmmmm... I wonder how many have the air hose and NOT a compressor.

Anyway, if they DON'T have an air compressor (and air hose [duh]), now is the time to get one. "Entry level" air compressors are almost CHEAP.

I have had the same, consumer-grade, Ingersoll-Rand compressor in my garage for at least 20-years. It wasn't particularly expensive when I bought it new. It's a cinch that I have gotten my money's-worth out of it.

Besides, if the OP can afford a Scag mower, chances are that, if he doesn't already HAVE an air compressor, buying one should be no trouble.

[Jim Redelfs]

Better than what? Certainly not better than compressed air. No way.

[Jim Redelfs]

Obviously, otherwise they'd be done clearing twice as many leaves in half the time than if using a stupid quiet rake. Pass the ibuprofen.

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

I've never used a leaf blower, and the only time I've raked leaves since I moved here (7 years ago) was last December when the pear tree dropped its leaves after I had the holiday decorations out (and so couldn't use the mower).

BTW, I know a neighbor who does use a (gas) leaf blower, and has a

4-year-old daughter who gets scared when she hears that really loud thing.

[Jim Redelfs]

What model did you get? Belt or hydraulic drive? Deck width?

I'm green...

[JoeSpareBedroom]

The guy across the street from me - his leaf blower lost its muffler a couple of years ago. Imagine two sounds mixed in equal proportions: shop vac and dentist's drill. Now, imagine them sent through the sound system at a major baseball stadium, and you're standing 10 feet from the PA speaker. He thinks it's funny. And, he'll spend hours chasing one leaf around the yard.

I think the reason none of us have killed him is that because we're hoping his wife does it first.

[Nancy Young]

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote

Those damned leaf blowers. I can see why some towns ban them. People who use them seem completely oblivious that the noise is disrupting the entire neighborhood because they just drone on and on, blowing some imaginary blade of grass around. Get a broom!

Last fall the neighbor's annoying lawn guys did the leaf cleanup. Four young, presumably healthy guys with gas blowers. One third acre, 100 X 150 feet, half covered with house, pool, patio. Hours they kept at it, the din was unreal. I left the house twice to get away from it, couldn't believe they were still at it when I got back. I could have raked that property clean with a rake by myself in four hours, for pete's sake.

I think some people just think blowers are cool. The future deaf people of America.

nancy

[jeffreydesign]

Here's something more that "I heard" but it applies to newer John Deere riding mowers. My neighbor across the street from me AND another friend of mine bought similar John Deere riding mowers (nice ones) late last year. They both wash their mowers - not every time they use them but when they get dirty enought to wash them. They both run them afterwards to dry them out. BOTH of these mowers have been in the shop SEVERAL times already having deck bearings replaced. Less than a year old!

IMHO, this isn't a problem with washing the mower - you should be able to wash it without problems. The problem is poor design.

JM

[Phisherman]

I used to think John Deere, Honda, and Lawnboy were good mowers, but it just turns out that they are no better than others, just overpriced. I'm having good luck with Toro mowers. And I have a neighbor that has been using a Sears mower for over 12 years without any needed repairs.

[runsrealfast]

In the 21 years that my parents have lived in their house my father has purchased 2 lawn tractors, The first was a toro that lasted 15 yrs (being abused by a teenage son I might add) and the other was a craftsman that him and my mother both love.

BTW as a 14 year old, after taking off the catcher and the blade the toro was one heck of an ATV.

John

[Max]

On Fri, 29 Jun 2007 20:18:36 GMT, Phisherman graced this newsgroup with:

I went back to Toro mowers after trying a Honda and a Yardman. Both were "ok" but the Toro is built like a tank, *always* starts on the first pull and I don't even bother thinking of a tune up except every

5 or 6 years.

[Harry K]

Strange. My oldest Honda (walkbehind) is a few years over 20 now. Never had a tune-up...well, I did give it a new plug and fuel filter about 10 years ago, wore the rubber off the drive wheels twice, replaced the clutch cable once. Smokes like a lawn fogger at startup now but that clears as soon as a load is applied.

As for "always starts first pull...." Toro does not build their motors, they run the same motors as other makes.

Harry K

[Phisherman]

Had a ($650) walk-behind Honda mower with the plastic "bullet proof" deck and the deck started cracking near stress points. Honda makes good small engines, though.

[aemeijers]

Agreed on that. My MTD generic, 3? years old, had the same engine the $700+ Honda walk-behind did, but for 1/3 the price. I looked at the Honda, and the deck was nicer, but not that much nicer. Still big and heavy with all those silly-ass 'safety' features that make mowing take 3 times as long. The Honda engine has stood up well to my abuse- change oil once a year, change air filter when it gets plugged, always starts first pull. (My yard is a rough mess, with lots of dirt showing, so it does get dusty in dry weather.)

Now if somebody would bring back the old lightweight LawnBoy staggered-wheel magnesium deck, with a Honda engine, we would have a winner.

aem sends...